Afraid of the Dark
by omalleyanatomy26
Summary: A one shot hurt/comfort where Reid has a panic attack after being tied and thrown into a closet because of his fear of the dark. Morgan finds him and tries to comfort and help him. Reid reveals why he's afraid of the dark. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!


**This is a one shot, so don't worry! I decided to edit some of it. **

Reid searched the dark house for the killer. Morgan was on his way but he decided to risk it and go ahead anyway. Ever since he had gotten shot people were more protective of him than ever. He wanted to prove that he could still do the job. That he wasn't weak. He was always trying to prove that he wasn't weak. He hated the fact that it was all dark. The bulbs were burnt out.

He always had an intense fear of the dark. He was ashamed to admit he slept with the hallway light on and the door cracked open. He walked slowly and carefully and yet something still caught him by surprise and grabbed him. Before he knew what was happening he was quickly tied, then gagged, then shoved into a dark closet. His eyes widened and he tried to kick the door open with his tied feet. It was shut tight.

No. No no NO! He was NOT trapped in the dark! Not again. Tears appeared. The last time he was stuck in the dark was in high school. The entire football team had locked him in the shack in complete darkness while stripping him naked and forcing him to masturbate in front of the cheerleaders. But he couldn't see the faces. He just heard the mocking tones, the sniding laughter. That was worse. The police found him in the morning. Whenever it was truly dark since then he would close his eyes and hear the laughter.

Panic seized control, laughing at him like those kids did. He struggled against the bonds. NO. He pushed at the door, the gag sliding deeper into his throat. His breathing got faster. He groaned as his heart began to race, his chest began to hurt. He moaned, and struggled to breathe. It was getting worse. His chest felt like something was pressing on him. His heart felt like a drum against his skin. Sweat covered him like a blanket, tears were uninvited guests.

And the closed space. He hated the closed space. It reminded him of coffins, which reminded him of the time Charles wanted to bury him alive. He had often dreamt about what would have happened if the team was too late.

He swallowed, causing the cloth to go even deeper, making it more difficult to breathe. Was it just him or did the walls feel like they were closing in? He closed his eyes but that made it worse.

_"Do ya like that Spency? Does that feel good?" More laughter._

_"We are all sinners."_

Time seemed to take forever. The walls pressed in on him. Smothered him alive. He closed his eyes, chest getting heavier and heaver. This was it...he was going to die...he was sure if it. No way he could escape this. The fighter in him woke. He had to get out! He just had too! He couldn't die like this. He sobbed against the gag. Suddenly he felt air brush on him as the door slowly opened.

_"_Reid?" He didn't realize he had been banging against the closet door. He opened his eyes and there was Morgan looking at him,shock and concern written on him. When he moved his mouth the cloth pushed in a few more inches, finally causing him to choke, saliva leaking on the side.

"Reid!" Panicked Morgan grabbed the wad of cloth and forced it's out of Reid's mouth. Reid gasped for air, drinking it up, swallowing it whole. He blinked several times as he gulped down the air, trying to return his breathing to a regular rythym. He felt vomit rise in him. The thought of being nearly choked was too for him. He sobbed in shame and humilation while it happened, as Morgan pulled him out of the closet. and untied him.

"I'm sorry," he sobbed. "I'm sorry."

"Sh...it's okay. That's nothing to be ashamed of." Morgan just wanted to concentrate on healing Reid. On getting Reid well. Reid wouldn't stop shaking and yet he was covered in sweat. Morgan grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around him. Reid's hands were nearly frozen.

"Need...some light," Reid managed to whisper. Quickly Morgan opened the shade. Warm sunlight bathed on him. It was then Morgan saw the true terorr on Reid's face.

"Hey, kiddo, it's okay. Take it easy." He knelt before the young man.

"Having trouble...breathing...chest...hurts,"Reid gasped, his whole body rigid and struggling to move. Morgan nodded, worry in his eyes. _Damn it Reid, you should have waited for me! _But he'll yell at Reid for that later. Instead he helped sit Reid up and pressed him gently against his chest. He put his arms around the kid's body. Reid leaned his head against Morgan's shoulder.

"All right, breathe in and out, nice and slowly," Morgan whispered and Reid obeyed, still rigid, his hands digging at the carpet. Morgan forced himself to remain calm. But he was extremly panicked at seeing Reid have this kind of well...panic attack.

Morgan demonstrated the breathing and Reid obeyed. Slowly and surely his breathing returned to a regular beat. His chest still hurt so he just laid on Morgan's as he tried to calm himself. The sweat slowly evaporating. His eyes blinked back tears. Things were less fuzzy.

Morgan tried to pace Reid's breathing, to copy it so they would breathe together at the same time.

"Come on kid, work with me," he whispered. He continued the breathing. "Come on," he repeated. He really wished he had a paper bag, but this was the best he could do.

He sucked in his breath and inhaled it out. Reid copied, still rigid, his knuckles still tight, digging into the carpet as if he had claws. His entire body was tight. But he soon listened to the soothing voice of Morgan and the breathing going up and down on his back. Like an ocean. Slowly he started to calm.

"Doing better?"

Reid nodded.

He was silent as his body relaxed into a regular routine.

"You think I'm pathetic, don't you?" His voice was weak, raspy, dry. Morgan frowned.

"Pathetic? Why would you think you're pathetic?"

"For having a panic attack because I was locked in the dark...for being this scared of the dark."

"Reid we all have our fears. We can't control them. I'm sorry if I ever teased you about it in the past but it's nothing to be ashamed of. I'm scared of spiders."

Reid surpressed a smile.

"But you don't have panic attacks over them."

"I also wasn't tied up, gagged, and having one crawl all over me. If that happened I probably would. Reid, don't beat yourself up over this. It's not your fault."

Reid sighed, exhaustion creeping in him.

"I'm just so tired of being weak all the time."

"You are NOT weak Reid. I don't ever want to hear you say that again. You are one of the strongest people I know."

Reid closed his eyes, still feeling embarrassed, exposed. His chest still hurt a little, not nearly as bad as it was. At least it no longer felt like hammers beating on nails.

"I still messed up. I let the killer get away."

Morgan said nothing.

"Let's deal with that later."

Reid sighed.

"So tired of screwing up too."

Morgan bit his lip, unsure of what to say.

Reid was silent after a while. Debating on whether or not to spill his secret.

"You...wanna know why I'm afraid of the dark? The real reason?"

Morgan slowly nodded.

"Only if you want to tell me."

"Most...kids are terrified of the dark when they were in elementrary school. I only became afraid since high school." He licked his lips and Morgan nodded.

"What happened?" He realized Reid needed more prompting.

"They...stripped me down naked and locked me in a sh...ack." His voice was still weak, still raspy.

Morgan closed his eyes, deep anger rooted inside of him.

"Who?" He kept his voice dangerously soft.

"The...The football team. They made me..." Reid struggled to breathe, panic rising in him.

"Easy, _easy _you don't have to tell me if you don't want too."

"No." Sweat trickled from his forehead. Morgan wiped his sticky hair back. "I want you to know. Too...understand."

Morgan nodded, pained tears in his eyes.

Reid closed his eyes, and could picture it like it was yesterday. The cruel laughter.

_"Haven't you ever done this before, Spencer? Don't you know how to pleasure yourself? You're a genuis, aren't you?"_

"They forced me to masturbate." There he said it, the bandaid was ripped off. Morgan's fists tightened. Goddamn it! He could have killed those kids. "In front of the cheerleaders..." Morgan closed his eyes. JUST when he thought things couldn't get any worse for the kid.

"Reid..."

"I couldn't see their faces...just heard their voices. Their m...mocking tones. That was worse." Reid had tears rolling down on his cheeks. "Whi...while I was in that closet I guess it reminded me of that shack...and the shack Tobias put me in...I...guess I panicked." He didn't want to tell his other fear, of being buried alive. That was even more personal to him than the story he told.

Morgan's throat closed.

"Reid...I don't know what to say."

Reid shook his head.

"Don't say anyth...thing. I ju...just wanted you...you to understand."

Morgan nodded.

"I do...I do understand." He hugged the man that was like his little brother. "I'd hate the dark too, if that happened to me."

He felt Reid's breathing become more panicked.

"Easy now, breathe in and breathe out. " He demonstrated again and Reid nodded weakly. Morgan sighed. It was clear this kid had some deep issues within himself that needed releasing before they exploded again. He just hoped Reid would do the smart thing and maybe talk about it to someone else...a professional. But he wouldn't suggest that now.

"Come on, let's get you home."

"I don't think I can walk." Reid's voice was so so weak.

"It's okay, Reid. I'll carry you." Morgan scooped up the kid and slowly, but surely, they headed towards the light-towards safety.

**Please review! I'm really proud of this one shot! **


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